The winter Dance
by M. Love
Summary: The inn is empty and Lorelei holds a winter dance there and the whole town is invited to stay the night afterwards! RoryJess and LukeLorelei
1. Chapter 1

Rory tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for her mom, Lorelei, to come down stairs and got to Luke's with her. At this rate Rory will miss the bus and then miss out on the most important day of her Chilton life. Today was the day when Rory's class will be given roles for their mock government and Rory did not want to be late for that.

"Mom, hurry up we need to get to Luke's so I can get coffee then catch my bus." Rory yelled up to her mother.

"Rome wasn't built in a day," her mother called back down.

"Yes but I'm sure it took less time then you're taking," Rory muttered under her breath. She thought of what it would be like if Paris got head of parliament, Rory would never hear the end of it. Just then her mother came running down the stairs. "About time!" Rory said turning and walking out the door.

"Sorry, I was on the phone with the inn, the group that booked up the _whole _inn is snowed in up at Washington and can't come down, this weekend the inn is going to be totally dead!" Lorelei complained and wit that they left the house to go to Luke's.

"You know you could have always just skipped Luke's, there are some fine coffee establishments around Chilton." Lorelei said grunting loudly as she kept up with Rory's brisk pace. Rory would never admit it but the only reason she loved going there was that Jess worked mornings before school and she liked him serving her coffee in the morning.

They finally arrived at Luke's on time as usual; they both sat at a table and watched as the people went by. Rory looked around the diner she saw Luke coming over but still no jess.

"What can I get you guys," Luke asked like as if he had to ask he knew what the two Gilmore girls wanted.

"Two coffees and two um…" Lorelei paused playing a mocking thinking face just to irritate Luke.

"I have other customers," Luke said giving in too easily to Lorelei's antics.

"Its just I was going to order a Danish but then I though do I really want to, then I thought I know I'll just get a coffee but then that wouldn't solve my hunger," Lorelei smiled wickedly as Luke began to get very irritated.

"Mom I'll be late for school," Rory urged so Lorelei finished up their order.

"What is the urgency kid, they know you're the best head for parliament." Lorelei comforted and Rory shrugged. Soon jess came out from behind the bar with their order, which was being served before a couple's who had been in he diner before Lorelei and Rory.

"So soon," Rory asked looking up at jess who handed her what he knew as her half of the order.

"Really," he asked with the same innocent smile he had when he had always done some thing bad. "I didn't realize." Rory repelled his smile with a knowing smile.

"I got to go now," Rory said as she looked at her watch. She stood up and took her food from jess and ran out of the diner. It was a good thing Dean had no way of knowing what she was thinking because he would have killed jess. She stood at her bus stop waiting for her bus to arrive.

"Why's you leave so fast," came a voice from behind her she turned around to see jess.

"Why did you want me to stay longer," she asked and he laughed but Rory didn't know if she should take that as a yes or a no.

"How are things with what's his name," Jess asked, their conversation had always reverted back to Dean and herself.

"We're fine," Rory lied, it hadn't been great she was always distracted when they are together and he always asked Rory when the last time she had seen jess.

"Liar," jess said knowingly as he slinked off towards the school, as he did he turned around and smiled at her before walking off again and then the bus came blocking her view.

She boarded the bus.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N - I hope you like this story-- i did this ages ago when i was still rather bad at writing!**

**please be kind in your reviews!! no flames... its just fluff...**

Rory sat down in class and waited with her fingers she tapped her fingers on her desk, she looked down at her red painted fingernails. She looked around the room everyone else was just as on the edge of their seats. She looked over at Paris who was almost prepared to jump out of her seat and rip her assignment from the teacher's grasp.

"Ok it is time to find out where you stand in our government," the teacher said and she walked down the aisle giving out the booklets which detailed their set tasks. Rory watched as the teacher came closer to her seat and handed Rory her seat in the parliament.

Leader of the Liberal Party

Rory laughed out loud as if this huge weight had been lifted from her chest, she looked over at Paris who mirrored the same feelings.

"What did you get," Rory asked leaning over so the whole room didn't overhear.

"Treasurer for the liberal party," Paris almost laughed with joy when she said it, "I'm guessing you got leader." Paris said causing Rory to smile broadly she nodded. She watched Paris' reaction, afraid she would loose their shaky friendship but Paris smiled along with Rory.

Rory practically ran off of the bus so excited that she had got the leader of the liberal party! She was still laughing inwardly as she ran home but then she ran straight into something knocking her to the ground causing her bag to open and her books to spill out everywhere. She looked up and saw dean standing over her; he bent down next to her.

"Hey there pop tart, what's up," he asked as she turned over to collect her scattered books.

"Yeah I found out that in school I got the role of leader of the liberal party," Rory explained expecting praise but was taken off guard when she didn't get it. "It's a very big deal for me," she explained and he smiled.

"Well congratulations!" he exclaimed but it seemed hollow. "I have to go to work so I'll call you later." She nodded as dean walked off; she threw her hands up in the air, did he not understand?

She then continued to run home. She ran into the house calling out to her mom as she did.

"In the kitchen," Lorelei called out and Rory ran in. "Well, what position did you get?"

"Leader of the liberal party," Rory exclaimed still extremely happy Lorelei got up and hugged her daughter.

"This only causes for one kind of celebration!" Lorelei said when they had finally stopped hugging, "Luke's!"

"Ok just give me a sec I need to dump my bag in my room," Rory said and walked into her room closing the door behind her. She looked out the window after she had tossed her bag to the ground and the books she hadn't bothered to shove back in her bag after they had fallen out earlier. She thought about dean while she did she looked down at her bracelet he gave her, was he really right for her?

"Rory," Lorelei called and soon her daughter emerged from her room. "What took you so long," Lorelei questioned bout Rory shrugged off her concern. "Ok then, off to Luke's we go."

They walked down the street and as they passed dean's work Rory decided to confide in her mother.

"I told dean what I got," Rory said as they continued to walk.

"That's a big step in the relationship, are you sure you don't want to take it slow?" Lorelei said sarcastically.

"He didn't understand how big a deal it was and when I met him I dumped all my books out on the ground because I was knocked to the ground and he didn't help me clean them up," Rory exclaimed, they had stopped moving and was standing outside Taylor's ice creamery.

"What are you getting at," Lorelei asked.

"Maybe dean and I shouldn't be… dean and I," Rory said shrugging her shoulders.

"No, no, this isn't a shrugging matter!" Lorelei said her voice now gaining volume. "Dean has been excellent boyfriend and has stuck with you through the thick and thin! You can't decide its over with a shrug!" Lorelei said they were beginning to draw attention from the people inside Taylor's store.

"Its something I'm thinking about, so don't flip out right now, and I want food now, no more break up talk!" Rory said, Lorelei made a motion to zip her lips then they walked one more store over and into Luke's diner.

"Here Lukey Luke," Lorelei chimed as they walked in and sat down at a table. Luke came over to the pair, Rory found it amazing how Luke always skipped over customers to serve Lorelei and Rory quickly. Lorelei ordered first and Luke turned to Rory.

"One coke and a beef burger please," Rory ordered and Luke left their table.

"Rory, look I know you didn't want to talk about this but just consider what you would do with out dean," Lorelei tried to le her daughter see the sense of it, little did either girl know, jess could hear every word they said.

"I am thinking, it's just we don't spark," Rory said knowing she made no sense.

"What do you mean by spark? What kind of spark do you want," Lorelei asked, jess listened intently, completely ignoring the customers whose food he was still holding.

"I want some one who intrigues me, someone surprising, someone who challenges me," Rory explained, "Some one like…" but Rory couldn't finish her sentence because jess came and placed the their food in front of her. "…Like you," she said under her breath, he turned to her.

"What," he asked but Rory shook her head.

"Oh um, nothing," Rory said but jess stood there staring at Rory, had he over heard her last line, she wanted to see inside his head to know what he was thinking.

"Jess, are you feeling ok," Lorelei asked but that didn't stir jess from his contemplative stare.

"Jess, I've got orders piling up over here," Luke yelled, that snapped jess back to reality and he left their table.

"Did he overhear," Lorelei asked and Rory shrugged, and was unnerved the idea that he might have overheard actually made her happy.

"Luke, I need to speak to you," Taylor said as he walked into the diner.

"What is it Taylor," Luke asked, it was as if their greetings were scripted.

"The town's hall isn't available for the winter dance this weekend," Taylor said as if it was the end of the world, Rory looked over at Lorelei who's face showed the exact same feeling. "So I'll have to cancel your services, I know you ordered all that food so you'll still get paid."

"The winter dance can't be cancelled!" Lorelei exclaimed getting up from the table and walking over to Taylor and Luke. "It's the best dance ever, winter just wouldn't be winter without it!" Taylor and Luke nodded in agreement, for once the three adults saw eye to eye.

"But what can we do Lorelei," Taylor shrugged.

"My inn is empty this weekend, and it's got a great outdoors for the dance! It would be magical!" Lorelei said Taylor looked at her.

"Are you sure Lorelei?" Luke asked.

"Defiantly, just leave t up to me and make sure everyone knows, this winter dance will be particularly special!" Lorelei chimed and Taylor nodded.

"Great," they shook hands and Taylor left smiling like the cat that ate the canary. Lorelei stayed and began to make plans with Luke for the upcoming event. Rory could see in her mind what her mom wanted to plan, there would be Christmas lights in the trees and eggnog in a huge glass serving bowl, and it would be cold enough for you to snuggle up to your partner but warm enough so you don't freeze to death. The question in Rory's mind was whether she would go with dean.

"Mom, I'm going to go home," Rory said and her mother agreed to meet her back there so with that Rory left.


	3. Chapter 3

Rory read the same sentence of her booklet that entailed what role she would play in there mock government and still it didn't make any sense. Every five seconds she looked over to the phone like she could use some kind of superpower to get dean to ring. It rang causing her to jump, she sprung from the couch and begun to reach for the phone but retracted her hand. Her mind began a debate whether to pick it up but the machine got it.

"Hey you've reached the Gilmore residence, aka Rory Gilmore and Lorelei Gilmore, so uh leave your message after the beep…" there was a long time before Rory's own voice chimed in; "Mom, press end call." Then the beep sounded followed by dean's voice.

"Hey Rory its dean, and I heard that the winter dance-" Rory grabbed the phone and put it to her ear.

"Hey sorry I had to finish a sentence in my book, what's up," Rory asked sitting back down on the couch and biting her nails nervously.

"I heard your mom is hosting the winter dance," dean replied.

"Word travels fast," Rory replied.

"That was awfully generous of her."

"Mom loves that dance," Rory replied.

"Well, though it's probably going to be a great evening but I can't," dean said.

"Its going to be perfect, the whole town is practically going and they're staying over in the inn, you sure you can't come?" Rory asked she felt bad that the first thought that sprung to her mind was whether Jess was going.

"Yeah, my family has this thing on," dean excused, "will you miss me?" he asked playfully.

"No," Rory laughed and he laughed too.

"I'll see you later," dean said and Rory replied with an ok they then hung up. Just as she did her mother came bouncing in the door.

"Rory, I am so excited," Lorelei exclaimed dumping her bags in the foyer then walking in to the living room.

"There is going to be music and dancing," Lorelei exclaimed.

"That's what generally happens at a dance," Rory commented gathering up her books.

"What's the matter," Lorelei asked after she had followed Rory into her room.

"Dean isn't going to the dance, his family has plans," Rory commented putting her books away. All Lorelei said was oh before she left Rory alone to contemplate her thoughts.

The rest of the week went by quickly, Paris and Rory had rocked the government's world and Lorelei and Sookie planned, cooked and decorated for the upcoming dance. Each day they would meet at Luke's and discussed the day's progress. When Rory woke up she couldn't believe it was Friday already. It was one more day until the dance.

Rory walked out of class after she and Paris stabilized their country's economy Rory could not wait to go and have one of Luke's Danishes. She could practically taste it in her mouth. As she walked out of school she saw Paris yelling madly down her phone in some foreign language. She slammed the phone closed and began to search the courtyard. Paris' eyes landed on Rory, she began to walk over to Rory, and this could be bad, Rory thought.

"Is something wrong Paris," Rory asked.

"My Nan just found out that my house is infested with spiders!" Paris yelled scaring Rory. "I need to stay with someone until Sunday night when this is all finished." Rory knew where this was heading.

"Yes Paris, you can stay with me, but you'll need more clothes then that, Saturday night there's a dance on." Rory said, pushing Paris towards the bus.

"That's fine, my Nan can bring clothes to your address I'll just call her and tell her." Paris said and they boarded the bus.

"You can stay on one condition," Rory said. "When your Nan comes to drop off your clothes and stuff you hand her your school books, there will be no homework this weekend." Rory commanded and Paris opened her mouth to object but Rory did a face she learnt from her mother and Paris surrendered.

"Fine," she replied bitterly.

They finally got off the bus and walked over to Luke's where in their usual seat sat Lorelei speaking to Luke, they both had huge grins across their faces.

"Hey mom," Rory greeted and she sat down on a seat next to Paris.

"Hey kids, Paris, what brings you to Stars Hollow," Lorelei asked.

"My house is infested with Spiders so I need to stay somewhere for the weekend and Rory said it would be fine if I stayed with you guys," Paris replied.

"Great, the more the merrier for the dance," Lorelei replied. Jess then came over with Lorelei's coffee and took out his order book to take Rory and Paris' order.

"What would you like," he asked looking over at Rory.

"How do you know we want to eat," Paris asked and Lorelei loved the 'tease jess or Luke' game so she joined in.

"Yeah, they could really not like this place," Lorelei teased.

"Well I assumed that if you come into a place such as a diner, you'll want to buy food." Jess explained.

"Well never assume, people could take it as pushing people into ordering and then they might not come back." Lorelei teased.

"Are you going to the winter dance," Rory asked jess who, among with Lorelei were taken off guard.

"Uh, yeah, maybe," Jess replied.

"Then I'll maybe see you there," Rory replied.

"Maybe you will," Jess replied she then ordered Paris and herself food. Lorelei kept looking at Rory but Rory avoided the eye contact.

"Rory, what was with that," Lorelei asked.

"I just asked a friendly question," Rory lied.

"You practically just asked him out," Lorelei insisted completely shocked.

"No I didn't now can we drop it," Rory pleaded.

After the two girls practically inhaled their food they left to go back to Rory's house because Lorelei was staying behind just to confirm everything was in place for tomorrow night's festivity.

"Rory, do you like that Jess guy," Paris asked after they had been sitting in Rory's room for a while. Rory eyed her suspiciously, "I won't ell anyone I just want to know."

"Maybe, it's confusing because of Dean and all," Rory confessed. She didn't know why she told her; maybe she just cracked under questioning. Paris nodded slowly.

"I'd pick Jess over Dean," Paris commented. "Is dean going to this Dance?"

"No, he has family business," Rory replied.


	4. Chapter 4

"Paris you are taking forever," Rory yelled through the bathroom door.

"I don't look right," Paris called back.

"What do you mean," Rory asked.

"Well picture Margaret Thatcher in a red knee length dress and you have what I see in the mirror." Paris called back.

"Let me see," Rory said and she heard the door unlock and out stepped Paris. "You look perfect, that shade of pink really suits you," Rory complemented.

"Yours looks good to, the purple look great cause of your hair color," Paris said.

"Come on, we have to get to the inn before everyone else does, we also have to meet Luke there," Lorelei said. "So grab your overnight packs and let's skedaddle."

Lorelei drove her car up to the parking lot and parked next to Luke's pick up truck. They got out and saw the tons of food that was in the back.

"You could feed a whole town with that food," Lorelei commented as she walked up to the inn with Paris and Rory following behind. They entered and saw Michele immediately.

"Why hello Lorelei, Rory and Rory's friend," Michele greeted with his French accent smiling.

"Hey Michele, this is Paris," Rory introduced.

"Where's Luke and Jess," Lorelei asked.

"Luke is in the kitchen with Sookie and the Boy is up in their rooms getting settled but should be coming down soon to unload the truck." Michele answered.

"Can we have our keys," Rory asked.

"But of course, you and Paris are in room 5 and you, Lorelei, are in room 31," Michele said handing them each a set of keys. Rory took the keys and she and Paris ran up to their room.

"Wow, Rory, look at the view," Paris said. Rory walked over and looked down; the trees were covered in light giving the illusion of floating balls. There were red and purple flowers surrounding the dance floor.

"It's so beautiful," Rory said Paris nodded. They walked down stairs and people were already arriving. Soon everyone was there and the room seemed to be warmed just from the love and friendship emanating from everyone. From across the room Rory spotted jess as he sat in a chair reading a book, she whispered in Paris' that she was going to go and talk to him but if her mom asked to just say Rory was around.

She walked across the room and as she did her mom took center stage.

"Hey everyone," Lorelei said and the whole crowd turned to her. "The dance is about to begin so why don't you all just go outside and let the fun begin." And so everyone did except for jess and Rory.

"Are you going to dance," asked Rory sitting across from him in another leather chair.

"Maybe," jess replied as the band struck up and the townspeople's laughter spread through the inn. "I'm just waiting for the right girl to come and ask."

"Hey jess," said Rory.

"Yes Rory," he answered

"Will you dance with me," she asked, he laughed and put his book in his back pocket.

"Why not," Jess then stood up and took hold of her hand and walked her out onto the dance floor.

He pulled her close as they danced together; Rory knew every second they were together felt right. She rested her head on her shoulder and smiled. She looked around and saw Lorelei and Luke talking over some punch.

"What do you think everyone is thinking," jess asked into Rory's ear sending shivers up her spine.

"How much they love this song," Rory guessed causing jess to laugh. She then saw Paris talking to Michele and they both seemed to be enjoying each others company. The whole night was spent like this, jess and Rory couldn't get enough of each other.

"Do you want to go for a walk," jess asked Rory.

"Sure, I'll go get my coat," Rory said leaving, when she came down the stairs from her room she saw jess waiting at the bottom with flowers. "Aw, did you get those for me," Rory asked.

"Did I get what," jess asked.

"Those flowers," Rory said pointing to them.

"Oh, I didn't realize I had them," Jess said smiling that smile Rory just loved. "Shall we," jess offered his arm and Rory took it and they walked out the door.


	5. Chapter 5

The towns looked so beautiful at night and at Christmas time all the Christmas lights were sprinkled around town making it seem like a fairy tale.

"It's so beautiful," Rory said clutching to Jess for warmth and he put his head on hers.

"Yeah," he agreed the town was all silent and all the lights were off because almost everyone was at the dance. It seemed as if they were the only people in the world, looking over at Jess she wouldn't have minded that. "Let's sit down," jess suggested. They sat in the gazebo and be surrounded by the lights. "What about you and Dean?" jess asked.

"There isn't going to be a dean and me anymore," Rory said as she leaned in to kiss jess. "I want a you and me." And just as their lips made contact they heard muffled cheering from the hall they turned around and saw the lights there had also turned on.

"What's that," asked Rory standing up and making her way towards the hall.

"Who cares, lets just stay," jess said angrily but Rory heaved him up from the seat.

"Let's just see," Rory pleaded with puppy dog eyes, he couldn't refuse her.

"Alright," he agreed and they ran over and opened the door and snuck in, jess still held her hand so he didn't loose her.

"Welcome Stars hollow high to this the first Basket Ball game of the season!" yelled the headmaster in the microphone causing everyone to start cheering and hooting. As they walked through the crowd to find an empty pair of seats as they did many people began to point at the couple and began to whisper. "And lets give a cheer to our new coach Michael Roark!" again everyone cheered. "And here are the stars hollow Cheerleaders!" then about 15 preppy girls came cart wheeling and flipping from behind the stands and began to dance and jump to loud Hip Hop music. "And now here is our new basketball leader Dean!" Rory's mouth dropped open as he walked out in a red basketball uniform waving at the cheering crowd.

"Did you know that he was a basket ball player?" Jess asked a stunned Rory.

"No, I didn't," Rory admitted and she felt jess' hand squeeze hers in attempt to comfort her.

"Now I think the head cheerleader, Debbie, has a badge for you!" the peppiest of the cheer leaders with her blond hair sashaying as she ran up to him, she handed him a red badge then kissed him on the mouth, once softly then he brought her in for a deeper second round.

"I think we should go now," Jess suggested, Rory nodded, they stood and left, but they didn't do it as subtly as they wanted and Dean saw them. Rory and jess were not two meters from the door when Dean came running out.

"Rory, stop," Dean pleaded, causing Rory to turn around. "I swear it was totally unplanned it just happened! I swear Rory!" Rory walked up to dean and kissed him on the cheek.

"I believe you," Rory said.

"What," Jess exclaimed; he was not ready to loose Rory that easily. He ran up to Dean and punched him in the stomach. "You don't deserve her!" he said as he punched dean again.

"Jess, stop!" Rory commanded grabbing his hand and pulling him in behind her. "Dean, I don't think we should go on anymore, we just don't connect anymore." Rory said. Debbie came out from the hall.

"Dean, we're waiting for you." She said.

"We both have our separate ways to go and Debbie's waiting for you to go your way." Rory said.

"And jess is waiting for you to go yours," dean said but nodded his head. "Goodbye Rory." Dean said kissing her forehead and walked up to Debbie and they together entered the noisy hall together.

Jess and Rory walked back into the inn only to meet the end of the dance, everyone began to walk back to their rooms.

"Hey I know a room we can go," Rory said and jess nodded eagerly so she led him by the hand to a huge dressing room but when they opened it they saw Luke and Lorelei making out on the couch. They could either interrupt something that was a long time overdue or go into the Coat Room.

"Let's go to the coat room," jess whispered in her ear and Rory nodded. They snuck in through the crowd and slipped into the coat room.

Jess and Rory stood looking at each other; Rory couldn't believe this was happening. She couldn't wait another second; they both erupted in a passionate fiery kiss that lasted for what seemed ever.

"Rory, I think that this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship." Jess said as they began to kiss once more.

--the end


End file.
